Daughter of Black

6.10

Molly and Arthur looked nervous as they said their goodbyes to Remus and Tonks. I had said mine just minutes ago, before making the decision to head to bed. Fred and George had run their way through the house, doing whatever insane preparation for whatever they had in mind. I could see them from the window and I knew that Remus was a little bit anxious. I figured it had something to do with the full moon that was coming up. It was making me nervous too; something wasn't right. I felt George come up behind me, massaging my shoulders. I leaned my head back onto his chest, kissing his lips. "You're tense. What's wrong?" I shrugged, not sure how to explain.

"I just have a feeling. Something feels wrong." George moves his head next to mine and we both look out the window. I can't help but gaze back down to Remus. Something was bothering him.

"You're probably just tired. Let's get you to bed." George kisses my cheek and I giggle. George takes my hand, trying to drag me off to bed, but I refuse to move, just for a second longer. "Come on, love." Just as I was about to give in, through the reeds outside, torches blaze.

"George..." I start but before I can say anything else, he is by my side, both of us looking down. Flames snake out of the reeds and slither toward the house. From the reeds, I see Bellatrix emerge, peering up through the darkness, looking right at me. "Dad..." I mumble under my breath, the faint memory of my father dying right before my eyes. I rip my hand out of George's and run down the stairs, whipping my want out of my jacket pocket.

"Mira!" George yelled at me. As soon as I excited the house, my eyes caught Bellatrix's, a mad grin on her face. She shrieks eerily and my eyes flash with hatred. I bolted towards Bellatrix as she grins, turns, and vanishes into the reeds.

"Mira, no!" Mr. Weasley yells at me. I ignore it. I can't help but only feel the anger that consumed my entire body and mind. Flames race up the porch steps and climb up the walls of the house. I wasn't sure who was following me; I wasn't sure I cared.

I careened through the marsh, reeds flashing past. I spot Bellatrix as she stares back at me, grinning like the madwoman she is. Her laughter mocks me. She was mocking me, mocking the death of my father. I chase after her, fire snaking through the reeds towards me. I gripped my wand tightly in my hand, only barely hearing George yelling for me somewhere in the reeds. I feel like I'm chasing a ghost. Bellatrix leads me on, still grinning madly. I could feel the hot tears running down my face as I anxiously wiped them to the side so I could see her better. Bellatrix stops dead, raising her wand at me. She fires a bolt of red light, which explodes in a shower of sparks around me. I fire back, flashing through the reeds, before coming face to face with Greyback... a werewolf. His sharp teeth glitter in the moonlight. "You smell good..." He growls, staring at my body, hungry. A bolt of blue bursts off Greyback's back and we both turn, Harry standing several yards off. Harry and I take off, running as far away from Greyback as we can. He was the man that turned Remus into a werewolf. It felt like we were running faster and faster, just trying to escape when Greyback rushes into a clearing, staring us dead in the eyes. Both of us fire bolts at him and Greyback is lifted in the air, and slammed to the ground. As he regains his footing, he looks at us, our wands still poised. He grins, evilly, before disappearing. Harry and I look back at each other, confused as to why he would just... leave.

We make our way out of the reeds, slowly, not wanting to get caught off guard. Just then, Ron, Fred, George, Arthur, and Remus come thrashing into the clearing, stopping. All around us the reeds smoke, the flames dying. But, from across the marsh, we hear Bellatrix's cackle. Then all went quiet... until the burrow shot up in flames. My eyes went wide. I could hear Arthur screaming for Molly from behind me as he shot out towards their home. "George?!" I shout out, looking around. When I finally catch his eye, I rush towards him, letting him wrap his arms around me. I checked to make sure Fred was there and safe. But there was nothing we could do about the burrow. It was gone.

Arthur, Molly, and everyone else that was in the house came out. And as far as I could tell, everyone was safe and scratch free. The scene was chaotic, flames licking at the sky as the Burrow burned before our eyes. Molly's cries blended with the crackling of the fire. George held me tightly, his arms a comforting shield against the horror unfolding in front of us. "George, the Burrow..." I whispered, my heart heavy with sorrow.

"I know, love. We'll rebuild. We'll make it even better," George said, his voice filled with determination despite the devastation. But I knew... we all knew that it would never be the same. His heart was broken just as much as the rest of us. And we were scared. This had been a direct attack on all of us. The rest of the family gathered around us, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief. Ron looked devastated, his eyes fixed on the flames consuming his childhood home. Fred stood by his side, a hand on his shoulder in silent support.

"What happened?" Remus asked, his eyes scanning the scene for any signs of danger.

"Bellatrix," I said through gritted teeth, my anger bubbling just beneath the surface. "It was a trap." Remus' jaw tightened at the mention of her name, a reminder of my father's death, a reminder of the constant threat we face as members of the Order.

"We have to find her," Harry spoke up, his anger matching mine. "She can't get away with this." Together, the group of us worked to extinguish the flames and secure the area, a sense of unity driving forward. As the fire was brought under control and the immediate danger passed, the reality of what had happened sank in. The Burrow, a symbol of warmth and family, now lay in ruins. Fred and George agreed to split their time between the shop and helping their family rebuild the burrow.